Breaking news – it’s Thursday and, as per usual with the linear progression of time, that means tomorrow is Friday.

This is reason for celebration, and also for throwing back to viral videos from days of old.

There are two world-famous honey badger videos on YouTube. One features a honey badger that doesn’t give a shit (92 million views and counting), and the other features Stoffel, a cunning escape artist, that has been viewed more than 18 million times.

We will focus on the latter. Despite the fact that the BBC failed with regards his name, the exploits of Stoffel are legendary:

It’s tough not to love the guy.

As the video spread and interest around Stoffel grew, the staff at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre were inundated with questions about why he was in an enclosure in the first place.

In case that question is also on your mind, here’s Africa Geographic with the answers in a 2014 article:

Stoffel was hand raised by a farmer in the area where he caused chaos in the house. He was brought to Moholoholo about 18 years ago where he was allowed to roam free with the other two female honey badgers at the centre. These females eventually went back to the wild but Stoffel stayed due to the fact that he had been imprinted by humans by such a young age. He caused havoc in the rehab centre killing small bucks, rabbits and even an adult tawny eagle.

He also visited the local lodge where management received frantic calls for help as Stoffel chased the kitchen staff out the kitchen, taking over as he helped himself to the tasty food in the kitchen…

Eventually Moholoholo was forced to put him in a quarter hectare camp with natural trees and grass. However he broke out of camp to fight with the lions, ending up in the hospital clinic for two months…

In the end Moholoholo was sponsored by Rotary Club to build Stoffel a brick house. Yet, after only a few hours in his new home, he escaped again and again in spite of the staff trying different measures to hinder him.

In short a human imprinted honey badger can be a problem. However Stoffel will remain loved by all at the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and for all who come to visit the centre, he is an ambassador for his species.

The Moholoholo Facebook page’s last update about Stoffel was in August last year, when they uploaded a video of him bathing, so we can only assume he’s still going strong.

He also has a son called Stompie.

Keep fighting the good fight, pal.

[source:africageographic]